Hello, 1-meter-long fish!
Tomorrow, I will start seeing THIS!
The giant potato cods of Cod Hole in the northern Great Barrier Reef can reach 8 feet long and a whopping 240 pounds, and you can stand there as they brush right by you!
It's one of the most well-known diving sites in the world and I will be there. So excited.
I'm in Cairns and lucked out as there's a 4-night dive trip to the northern outer reefs, where there is far fewer people and crazy stuff like this, and sea snakes.
Sea snakes!
Being a procrastinator paid off. I waited to book til I was here, and there was a space left on a flash sale with Deep Sea Divers Den, for this trip, which normally I could not afford.
This means I won't get to Cape Tribulation or other things here, but I came here to dive the Great Barrier Reef, so I will DIVE the coolest spot I imagined and feel fine about missing out. I lived in the Amazon; I'm sure I will make up a day-long rainforest trip. Ah, so little time!
We get on a boat at 3 PM and take the night to get out there, and then three days of diving, including night dives.
I did go to the dive shop to ask all my questions and assuage my fears: I now think I won't die from not diving so much. :-)
Here's a map: Cod Hole and Ribbon Reef, way up there!